H*3599 Concurrent Resolution, By Harvin, J.M. Baxley, G.A. Brown, J.T. McElveen and 
M. McLeod
 A Concurrent Resolution to congratulate "The Item" newspaper and its staff on
 winning thirteen awards for newspapers and reporting excellence from the South
 Carolina Press Association and to encourage them to continue their effort in
 the field of journalism.

   02/26/91  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate HJ-38
   02/27/91  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-1

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE THE ITEM NEWSPAPER AND ITS STAFF ON WINNING THIRTEEN AWARDS FOR NEWSPAPERS AND REPORTING EXCELLENCE FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR EFFORT IN THE FIELD OF JOURNALISM.

Whereas, The Item, a newspaper in Sumter, South Carolina was founded in 1894 and annually competes with eight other daily newspapers in the State with circulations under thirty thousand; and

Whereas, the South Carolina Press Association is a nonprofit trade association with eighty-seven newspaper members across the State; and

Whereas, last year The Item captured ten awards including four firsts and eight of sixteen awards in a special Hurricane Hugo contest; and

Whereas, this year the paper landed thirteen awards, claiming eight first place awards for writing, editing, design, and photography, more than any other newspaper in its circulation category; and

Whereas, the first place award for General Excellence in Design was a first for The Item and is a real tribute to the entire newspaper because it requires all departments to pay attention to details; and

Whereas, The Item swept the Enterprise Reporting category in writing awards for news stories not written under deadline pressure; and

Whereas, Assistant Managing Editor Bob Gorman took first place in the news photo category for a harrowing picture of a man standing near an intersection with a gun pointed to his head, threatening suicide; and

Whereas, City Editor Marge Barber claimed first place for a story on the pending crisis of caring for the senior citizen population; and

Whereas, Clarendon County Bureau Chief Bonnie Blackburn won first place in the Reporting in Depth category for her examination of racial integration in Clarendon School District One; and

Whereas, in the sports department, Sports Editor Robbie Evans won first place based on a selection of his provocative weekly columns, and Staff Writer Dennis Brunson captured first place for a story about Sumter native and former New York Yankee great Bobby Richardson's relationship with the late Billy Martin; and

Whereas, Staff Writer Billy Quarles won a first place business reporting award for breaking the story of the Campbell Soup Company's plan to close the Sumter plant and a second place award for a story about workers at a Turbeville apparel plant who were about to be laid off; and

Whereas, Staff Photographer Micheline Phelan won first place in the Pictorial Series or Photo Page category for documenting a weekend night in the Tuomey Regional Medical Center emergency room and a second place for a photo essay about the breakfast routine at Sumter's Cut Rate Drug Store; and

Whereas, Staff Writer Steve Pradarelli took second place for an article on sexually transmitted diseases, and Staff Writer John Fritz captured third place for his work on a story about crime and fear in South Sumter; and

Whereas, Trevis Mayfield, a former Panorama Editor, landed a third place award for Lifestyle/Living Page design; and

Whereas, The Item and its fine staff of editors, reporters, and photographers have shown excellence in their fields by winning these awards. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly congratulate The Item newspaper and its staff on winning thirteen awards for newspaper and reporting excellence from the South Carolina Press Association and to encourage them to continue their efforts in the field of journalism.

Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be forwarded to Hubert Osteen, Publisher of The Item and Graham Osteen, Managing Editor of The Item.